Shaking Australian macadamia trees to avoid spread of nut disease

A University of Queensland scientist is recommending a literal shake-up for Australia's macadamia industry, after finding a chemical-free solution to controlling a devastating disease that causes nuts to drop off prematurely.

Husk spot disease is caused by a native pathogen called Pseudocercospora macadamia that infects the fibrous husk around the macadamia shell, costing the industry around $10 million a year. Associate Professor Femi Akinsanmi from the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation has led the research into husk spot disease for over a decade and discovered that using a mechanical tree shaker, prevented its spread, dramatically reducing reliance on fungicides.